Surgical Procedures

Artificial disc replacement surgery is performed when non-surgical treatments fail to relieve pain due to a degenerated or injured intervertebral disc. In a total disc replacement, the problematic disc is removed entirely and replaced with two plates that are attached to the vertebrae above and below the disc space. The plates may be designed to slide with respect to one another, or a spacer made with a soft core may be placed in between the plates, mimicking the original disc. Eventually, bone will grow into a special surface on each plate, holding it in place permanently. Until then, screws or pins are used, and these remain in place permanently, as does the disc itself. This surgery has some technical limitations in many patients but does offer a theoretical advantage over fusion in that movement at that level is preserved. It has not yet been proven that a fusion accelerates degeneration at the spinal level above or below the fusion, but if it does, TDR may lower this risk.

Kyphoplasty is a minimally-invasive procedure used to treat a vertebra damaged by osteoporosis, trauma, or other condition. It is performed when a portion of one or more vertebrae have collapsed, leading to pain, disfigurement, spinal instability, or height loss. During the procedure, the vertebra is entered with a small balloon inserted through a special catheter. The balloon is expanded to create a cavity for a cement-like compound that is injected through the catheter after the balloon is removed. The compound hardens within 30 minutes. Patients typically experience pain relief after kyphoplasty and many have a modest restoration of height lost due to the fracture.

In addition to relieving nerve pressure and thereby reducing, if not eliminating, pain, the goal of MI TLIF includes restoring proper lordosis and distributing weight to the front of the spine. By restoring proper curvature, the spine is able to dissipate the energy of gravity properly. This results in a great reduction in wear-and-tear and pain.

Spinal fusion is a type of spinal surgery in which two vertebrae are connected together so that they will form into a solid bone. Metal plates, wires, hooks, rods, or screws may be utilized to connect the two vertebrae together and, eventually, new bone material will form, allowing the vertebrae to fuse into a single bone. In some cases, new technologies are used to facilitate spinal fusion. Spinal fusion and reconstruction may be used to treat herniated discs that must be removed, spondylolisthesis, and other spinal conditions.